M. Night Shyamalan's 'Sixth Sense' on education

Talking Squawk, the official "Squawk Box" blog, provides tidbits, insights, and some sarcastic reflections on the WEEK THAT WAS and the WEEK TO COME from the notepad of the show's senior executive producer.

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The Higher Learning Project

We spent all week on "Squawk Box" launching a new segment to the program called: The Higher Learning Project—featuring the new wave of disruptors poised to rethink everything about how we teach, learn, and think.

If you're currently saving for your son or daughter's college education (or maybe thinking about going back to school yourself) or you're concerned about what your kids are being taught in high school, I strongly suggest you spend some time on the interviews below. They may change your whole approach to what we used to know as "higher education."

M. Night Shyamalan gets 'schooled'

M. Night Shyamalan, filmmaker, explains how he got to see the disparities between two public schools in Philadelphia while scouting for a movie location, and that prompted him to take a closer look at what needs to be done to improve schools in the U.S. He also shares the five key things people must do to close the education gap.

'The Sixth Sense' for success

He's known for his creepy movies like "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", and "Signs", but M. Night Shyamalan's latest project (five years in the works) is a book using "big data" to look at the flaws of public education in this country. He told us this week that it all started when he was scouting schools for locations to shoot scenes for his movie "The Happening."

Discussing why college tuition has skyrocketed, with former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) of The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship. "It's time for the regional creditors to grant now," he says.

Kerrey also talked about his work as executive chairman of the Minerva Institute for Research, which supports the Minerva Project's goal of launching an Ivy-caliber university. Founder Bob Nelson joined Kerry on the Squawk set to describe how Minerva plans to reinvent the college experience.

Putting higher education to the test

Sebastian Thrun, Udacity co-founder & CEO, shares his thoughts on how to disrupt and innovate the way students learn in the U.S through enhancing the interactive learning experience.

Enhancing interactive learning

Sebastian Thrun gave up his tenure at Stanford University to try to democratize higher education with his new company, Udacity—which offers accessible, affordable, and engaging online classes that anyone can take, anytime. This guy is a brainiac. He also founded Google X, which is home to projects like Google Glass and the self-driving car. His approach to higher learning is truly unique and may change the face of higher education.

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Greg Maffei, president and CEO of Liberty Media.

Media money

Greg Maffei is America's hidden media mogul. His resume is insane and the billionaire business icons he's worked for is literally off the charts. He's the CEO of Liberty Media (John Malone). He was the CFO of Microsoft (Bill Gates). He was the president of Oracle (Larry Ellison). He's also currently chairman of Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Trip-Advisor, and 360Networks. He serves as a director at Zillow, CORT Business Services, Ragen Mackenzie, Barnes & Noble, and Charter Communications. OK, he's officially a work-a-holic.

Steve Liesman is Squawk's official "econo-nerd." He knows this and publicly claims he has no problem being labeled this way. But I've known Steve for way too long now. Hiding deep down in all of that data-driven-mud-of-a-brain is just a kid with a guitar who dreams of playing Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of screaming fans; a larger than life rock star who gets to pick the groupies who get back stage passes that night by just pointing them out of the crowd to the security guys who stand with their arms folded while holding back the masses.

Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company president & CEO, showcases Fords new iconic Mustang and responds to the speculation he will become Microsoft's next CEO. Mulally also comments on minimum wage and how it impacts auto sales.

Mustang Turns 50

Many of us still have our dream Mustang from years gone by fresh in our minds. Mine is a Dark Forest Green Pure-Stock 1993 LX 5.0L with the 5 spoke Pony Wheels.

I was a Bubble Yum guy. It's the best! However, Bubblicious and Big League Chew guys might take issue with that. But all of us would agree on one thing. Please Mom don't buy me Trident Sugarfree Bubble in those little brick packets! So uncool.

(As a retail obsessed society, we invented Black Friday, Pre-Black Friday Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. That leaves only Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday for anybody interested in coining a new sales gimmick.)

Must follow them @

Check out some of these very cool education based accounts via this week's Higher Learning special @udacity and @MNightShyamalan.

The Google "party" barge is under investigation to see if the proper permits were obtained. Yes, "party" is me editorializing, but I so hope it's actually true. How much great material would a "Revenge of the Nerds"-like party barge floating around San Francisco Bay give us to play with? Imagine the "wear your Google Glass only sunset cruises" while the sounds of Devo's "Whip it, whip it good" blast across the bay.